Willis v. Mabon’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

5 federal appellate · 3 district · 77 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 92 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““* * * The question in every case is whether the language of a constitutional provision is addressed to the courts or the legislature, — does it indicate that it was intended as a present enactment, complete in itself as definitive legislation, or does it contemplate subsequent legislation to carry it into effect? This is to be determined from a consideration both of the language used and of' the intrinsic nature of the provision itself. If the nature and extent of the right conferred and of the liability imposed is fixed by the provision itself, so that they can be determined by the examination and construction of its own terms, and there is no language used indicating that the subject is referred to the legislature for action, then the provision should be construed as self-executing, and its language as addressed to the courts.””

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Moskovitz v. City of St. Paul · Powers v. State

2. ““ ‘Each stockholder in any corporation (excepting those organized for the purpose of carrying on any kind of manufacturing or mechanical business, shall be liable, to the amount of stock held or -owned by him/ is se.lf-executing,””

   1 later decision quote this exact passage
   e.g. Anderson v. Whatcom County